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Experimental diagenesis of organo-mineral structures formed by microaerophilic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria

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  • Aude Picard

    (Center for Applied Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen
    Present address: Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA)

  • Andreas Kappler

    (Center for Applied Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen)

  • Gregor Schmid

    (Center for Applied Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen)

  • Luca Quaroni

    (Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institut
    Present address: Functional Genomics Center Zurich, Y32 H96, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Martin Obst

    (Center for Applied Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen)

Abstract

Twisted stalks are organo-mineral structures produced by some microaerophilic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria at O2 concentrations as low as 3 μM. The presence of these structures in rocks having experienced a diagenetic history could indicate microbial Fe(II)-oxidizing activity as well as localized abundance of oxygen at the time of sediment deposition. Here we use spectroscopy and analytical microscopy to evaluate if—and what kind of—transformations occur in twisted stalks through experimental diagenesis. Unique mineral textures appear on stalks as temperature and pressure conditions increase. Haematite and magnetite form from ferrihydrite at 170 °C–120 MPa. Yet the twisted morphology of the stalks, and the organic matrix, mainly composed of long-chain saturated aliphatic compounds, are preserved at 250 °C–140 MPa. Our results suggest that iron minerals might play a role in maintaining the structural and chemical integrity of stalks under diagenetic conditions and provide spectroscopic signatures for the search of ancient life in the rock record.

Suggested Citation

  • Aude Picard & Andreas Kappler & Gregor Schmid & Luca Quaroni & Martin Obst, 2015. "Experimental diagenesis of organo-mineral structures formed by microaerophilic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms7277
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7277
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